Stuart Barrow, the head coach, is heading to Nevada in advance of the historic match between the England Women and the Australian Jillaroos in Las Vegas, which is less than 100 days away.
On March 1, the two countries will play one other for the first time since the 2017 World Cup, when the Jillaroos won 38-0. They have only met three times before.
England has advanced significantly since that day seven years ago, and the match on the neutral site is expected to be an exciting test of their growth and capacity to contend with the World Champions.
The 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders and the site of the 2024 NFL Super Bowl, will host the game. Last year, almost 40,000 people attended the NRL’s maiden Vegas promotion.
“The incredible opportunity that lies ahead of us has been really highlighted by arriving in Las Vegas,” Barrow said. “The training facilities have been exceptional, and I’m excited to visit Allegiant Stadium to experience what March 1 will be like. When I return, I’ll share that with the team.”
England defeated Wales 82-0 at AMT Headingley on November 2 in their final match before leaving for the desert, but they will face a completely different test in just over three months’ time against Australia.
“The Jillaroos are an amazing team; we are aware of their skill and the challenges they will provide, but we must seize this chance to put ourselves to the test against the World Champions.
“When we played Wales, we demonstrated that we had a blueprint for how we wanted to play. After analysing the game, we were able to choose a larger group of 31 players in advance of our first practice on December 7.
Before choosing a team of 20 to go to Vegas, we’ll have six more practices between then and mid-February. Each member of the training squad will have an opportunity to compete for a spot on the plane
Ahead of a hectic few months, I’m eager to return to the UK and rebuild my relationship with the team.
The concluding game of a triple header that includes two NRL games (Raiders vs. Warriors and Panthers vs. Sharks) and a Super League matchup between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves will pit England Women against the Australian Jillaroos.
Sky Sports will broadcast all four games live, with England vs. Australia starting at two in the morning UK time.
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